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by Scott Lucas | Dec 19, 2018 | EAWORLDVIEW – Russia, Turkey, and Iran have failed to reach agreement on the composition of a constitutional committee to help resolve Syria’s 93-month conflict.The foreign ministers of the three countries, meeting in Geneva, signed an agreement in principle for a committee leading to “a viable and lasting […]

Turkey, Russia, Iran call for ‘viable, Syrian-led’ political process in Geneva DAILY SABAH WITH AGENCIES – ISTANBUL – 18 Dec 2018 – Published 7 min ago Turkey, Russia and Iran called for the launch of a “viable and lasting Syrian-led, Syrian-owned and U.N.-facilitated political process” after talks in Geneva on Tuesday, saying that a new […]

Last week recorded more casualties among the border porters (Kolbars) who transfer goods semi-legally between Iran, Iraq, and Turkey. On December 14, a Kolbar from Baneh died from his wounds by Iranian border guards while another one was shot to death in the forests of Baneh. According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KMM), on the same day, a Kolbar died due to an avalanche. On December 16, a rights group (Hengaw) reported the severe injury of a Kolbar and the arrest of two others by Iranian regime guards near Piranshahr. In Marivan city, the Iranian regime security forces prevented the Kurdish students from holding a seminar about the conditions of the Kolbars at Payame Noor University. On Tuesday after calls from Kurdish activists, most of the markets in Baneh city held a general strike against the killings of the Kolbars.

In the Kurdish city of Kermanshah, the Iranian security forces detained Behnam Ibrahim Zada, a prominent civilian activist who spent five years in prison for his work toward the rights of the labors and participation in demonstrations. During a raid on his home, regime forces also confiscated his laptop computer and cellphone. An anonymous source told the Kurdistan Human Rights Network that Ibrahim Zada was sentenced to 18 months by the Islamic revolutionary court in Kermanshah in his absence. Meanwhile, the Iranian regime also arrested fours Kurds in Marivan and transferred them to an undisclosed location run by the intelligence service.

Court Sentences 30 Men to Jail for Economic Crimes: An Islamic revolutionary court handed prison terms of up to 20 years to 30 men for bribery, embezzlement and “disrupting the economy” on December 9. According to Reuters, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei established the Islamic revolutionary courts in August of this year in order to “confront an economic war by foreign enemies.” In addition to the jail terms, the court ordered that the men receive lashings and have their “ill-gotten” assets seized, according to Judiciary Spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei. This ruling comes less than a month after Iran executedVahid Mazloumin and Mohammad Esmail Ghasemi, two prominent currency traders, for allegedly “spreading corruption on earth.”

Overview – Iran is keeping a low profile with regards to the “Northern Shield” operation carried out by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to destroy Hezbollah tunnels along Israel’s border with Lebanon. The reports published on this matter in Iranian media largely focused on reporting on developments and touted the line adopted by Hezbollah that claims that Israel is deterred by the advanced capabilities of the organization.

In response to reports about Israeli strikes on Iranian targets around Damascus in late November, the spokesman of the Iranian armed forces declared that Iran does not have military bases in Syria. He claimed that the only targets Israel could attack are bases and positions of the Syrian military in which Iranian advisers operate, at the request of the Damascus government.

BY: Adam Kredo – THE FREE BEACON WASHINGTON – December 13, 2018

Senior Iranian leaders on Thursday signaled the country is on the brink of restarting its contested nuclear weapons program, disclosing the Islamic Republic is prepared to restart the full-scale enrichment of uranium, the key component in a nuclear weapon, if it does not continue to receive cash windfalls from European countries still committed to the landmark nuclear agreement.

The author of a landmark new book on the IRGC joins two Iran scholars for a lively conversation on how best to understand the force’s origins and exploit its weaknesses. On December 7, Nader Uskowi, Ali Alfoneh, and Alex Vatanka addressed a Policy Forum at The Washington Institute. Uskowi is a senior military advisor and author of the new book Temperature Rising: Iran Revolutionary Guards and Wars in the Middle East (Rowman & Littlefield), which he completed during his time as an Institute fellow. Alfoneh is a senior fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute and author of Iran Unveiled: How the Revolutionary Guards Is Turning Theocracy into Military Dictatorship (2013). Vatanka is a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and author of Iran and Pakistan: Security, Diplomacy, and American Influence (2015). The following is a rapporteur’s summary of their remarks.

Economic Links, Bypassing US Sanctions, By Year-End

The European Union’s foreign policy chief says a mechanism for non-dollar trade with Iran, bypassing US sanctions, is likely by the end of December.

Federica Mogherini told reporters in Brussels on Monday, “I will expect this instrument to be established in the coming weeks before the end of the year as a way to protect and promote legitimate business.”

Mogherini did not offer further details about the Special Purpose Vehicle, following a meeting of EU foreign ministers, but said work on its creation is “advancing well”.The EU official and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif agreed the SPV in September. It provides for transactions, including European purchases of Tehran’s oil and gas, in euros.

Iran continues to try to increase its clout in the region and beyond by hosting important high level meetings and portraying the US and its allies as isolated.

A key meeting took place on Saturday in Tehran between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and officials from China, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey and Afghanistan. Rouhani used the meeting to attack “the US, the West and the Zionist regime,” which he claimed are supporters of terrorist groups. As such he leveraged a meeting on terrorism to attack Iran’s adversaries. The Tehran meeting came a day before the Gulf Cooperation Council, which consists primarily of western allies, gathered in Riyadh on Sunday.

Al-Monitor Staff December 4, 2018 Article Summary – Iranians are keeping a close eye on the ongoing protests in France, lashing out at the government of President Emmanuel Macron for its heavy handed response. Already in its third week, the civil unrest in France continues to make headlines in Iran, where many are questioning the government’s violent response in quelling the public anger. The “yellow vests” have been protesting increased fuel taxes imposed by President Emmanuel Macron’s government. The rallies have turned into France’s worst turmoil in decades, with running street battles and intense scuffles between police and protesters amid burning tires and rubble from damaged public property.

Generally hailing France as the cradle of democracy, Iranians have long associated the French with the courage to vent anger on the streets. The response to the “gilets jaunes” is now making them question the French political system’s claims about democracy and the right to public protest.

EAST KURDISTAN (IRAN)

In violation of ban, Tehran shows off nuke-capable missiles as U.S. pressures Europe to take tougher line – BY: Adam Kredo – December 3, 2018 10:00 am – THE DAILY BEAST – USA

Senior U.S. officials confirmed early Monday that Iran has successfully test-fired multiple nuclear-capable missiles in violation of United Nations restrictions on such activity, drawing a fierce reaction from the Trump administration, which will pressure European leaders this week to take immediate action aimed at countering Iran’s latest military moves.

Refuting Iranian claims that its illicit missile tests are defensive in nature, Trump administration Iran envoy Brian Hook vowed tough reprisals for Iran’s most recent missile tests, which are among the most provocative in recent memory.

“Iran has launched missiles that are capable of carrying multiple warheads, including a nuclear weapon,” Hook confirmed to the Washington Free Beacon while talking to reporters aboard Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s airplane en route to Brussels for NATO meetings.